


Fallen Grace

by tricktea



Series: Chronicles of Grace [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Multi, Post ToA, amnesiac!jason, and there is an eagle named Happy too, angel!Jason
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-07-05 12:47:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15863925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tricktea/pseuds/tricktea
Summary: Jason has been having a recurring nightmare of his own death and dreams of being with a loved one, which he could not remember himself experiencing. His life as a human was over, he was dead and had ascended into the heavens to join the ranks of angels to assist them in their civil war. That was the plan - until his ongoing search for a missing archangel puts him back in the company of the Greeks who claimed to know him.Upon returning to their world, he will fight to ensure the balance is maintained while struggling with his own feelings towards his duty and original home.





	1. Found

**Author's Note:**

> This story's plot has been changed and updated as per 22/9/2018.

_Facing down on the ground, his last thoughts did not manage to reach him before the spear ripped into his flesh on his back. His comatose body jerked from the stab as blood spurted from his wound and showered his shirt with red. The spear was roughly tugged out from the trenches of his insides, and he could hear his assailant releasing a satisfied grunt from his own hard work. He should have been dead but instead, he is still very much aware of his struggling vision gradually becoming clouded by stains of black. He gave in._

_Voices soon began to echo in his head, instead of around him. They were warm and he could still feel their heavy grief drawing him into their outstretched hands. He attempts to reach for them but found that his arm was heavier than lead. His movements were slow but the hands seemed patient for him to learn how to grasp._

_As though a lid was opened, the dark sky opened a hole for light to stream into his world. From a far distance, a voice whispers into his ears._

_“I can't wait to see you again.”_

Jason woke up with a jolt, his eyelids flinging opened as his lungs struggled for air. Sweat dribbled down his forehead and his knuckles were turning white from how hard he was gripping onto the sheets. It took only a few minutes later when his panting became less harsh and the construct of his room slowly trickled into his vision.

 _Remember, Jason. Remember what you were taught_ , he thought to himself as he briefly squeezed his eyes shut before opening them again to find his environment becoming less blurry.

Parting his lips, Jason slowly murmured the names of the items in his room. His desk against the pale blue wallpaper, and the differently colored of ‘how to’ books stacked messily on top of the wooden surface. There were papers, some crumpled, that formed a blanket on the remainder of the surface and his frequently worn white shirt hanging from the edge of his seat. All he had to do was straighten his arm to feel the denim fabric of his pants sprawled at the side of the bed. There were more to be named from the floor but it was not as though he could get a glimpse from where he laid and how his head was positioned.

After his head was mostly cleared up, Jason pushed against the bed to lift his body into a sitting position. He groaned when he ran his fingers into hair, feeling the damp strands sliding against his skin. When he became conscious of his hair brushing against his cheeks, he was tempted to cut it out sometimes but there was a small nagging at the back of his head that told him not to. Not to mention he found it slightly stylish and would have fully if not for the morning dampness of his hair sticking to his skin like cheap glue.

Choosing to finally relinquish the bed, Jason summoned his strength and got off. He grabbed his clothes from the chair and bed to put them on for the day, including the blue bandana that he tightened into a knot behind his head. After that, he took his bag from the floor, which was littered with more clothes, receipts, books, and paper bags. He exited his room when he was finally ready, closing and locking his door that had the sign ‘do not enter’ printed in bold, capital letters and mounted on the space parallel to his own eye level.

Jason headed down the stairs and stopped at the larger desk where an eagle was pecking at the unsolved puzzle pieces sorted out around the half-finished 2000 pieces of the jigsaw.

“If any of that goes missing, Happy, I’m going to get upset,” he warned, furrowing his brows at his companion.

Seemingly unconcerned, the eagle lifted his head and opened his mouth to speak, an ability that Jason had yet to figure out its existence yet. “Don’t be such a grump, Jane. It’s still way too early for you to carry around that attitude. You got the rest of the day to even it around.”

“It’s Jason,” he corrected in mild annoyance and grabbed his keys. “Don’t forget to water the garden while I am gone. I’m heading to the market to get the work done and your fish.”

Happy perked up at the announcement. “How about that Bluefin tuna for dinner?”

Jason frowned and hoisted up the basket of vegetables next. “With what money?” he argued. “Anyway, just don’t forget. I’ll probably be back soon if there isn’t any trouble.”

“Gotcha, Juliet.”

“It’s Jason. Oh, and tell him to do the laundry after he wakes up.”

With that, Jason left the shack and trudged along the grassy terrain. Growing a few distances away from the shack were rafflesia plants that emitted a foul smell of rotting flesh. It originally bloomed in Asia but had, for a long while, taken root in this continent and hidden away from scholarly articles. Then again, this continent was a mere small port island isolated from the main continents, to begin with. What Jason found about these flowers was that they repelled the demons from venturing further into the area.

You heard right. Demons.

For two years, Jason had been dealing with their existence and honing his abilities to fend them off. There was a never-ending bunch of them and they had the tendency to pray on humans as well. It was his duty to deal with them swiftly, as per instructed by the Order of Angels. It turned out that Jason was dead and ascended into the Heavens, saved by no one but the Archangel Uriel himself. He was found chopped into pieces in Tartarus, where his soul was laid bare for Uriel to witness – his previous life, his deeds, and values.

Uriel then judged him on that spot and deemed it fit to sew the pieces of his soul back and brought him to heaven. Jason, in that sense, owed Uriel a debt and the archangel had been an impressive leader in his eyes, leading thousands of angels under his faction to fend off Fallens and demons who reached for the heavenly land. To repay his debt, Jason accepted the offer to join the ranks and subsequently worked himself from the bottom to Uriel’s right-hand man. It was no easy feat and there were numerous challenges that he overcame to prove himself fit for the position. With the help of his friends, however, they conquered each army of Fallen and demons one after another.

However, Uriel had disappeared one day shortly after rumors of him being a traitor began among the angels. Jason found it to be unacceptable. Uriel was one of the most faithful angels and being the Angel of Punishment meant he had no tolerance for misdeeds. He had taught Jason many times, reminded him to fight justly and for the God, he swore to. No matter how the rumors spread across dormitories, Jason held those lessons close to his chest and acted accordingly in order to protect the lives of his fellow angels and humans alike. There was no way an archangel with such strong moral compass would choose to abandon all that he had valued out of the blue.

It just didn’t make any sense.

When he was alerted to an approaching figure by the wind, Jason straightened himself up and walked towards the source.

“Hey,” Jason greeted the approaching merchant and lowered himself down to sit on a rock nearby, choosing to dismiss his inner thoughts for another hour. “Got any good stuff to trade? I’m getting tired out from the walking.”

The merchant stopped and raised an eyebrow at Jason. Deeming the other interested to trade, he set his baggage down. “Food. Clothes. Some good fishes that took the hook around this time of the year. Tell me what you are looking for and I will sort them out for you. What do you have?”

“Fruits and vegetables. I grew them myself and they are incredibly juicy and fresh. I bet that you won’t find them anywhere else.” Taking a tomato from his basket, he handed it to the merchant to try. “They go for a good price than average ones you can find from the market in the town.”

The merchant accepted the fruit and took a bite, munching on it curiously. “Impressive. I wouldn’t mind trading with you at its base price and do a markup. You understand, right? Since I have to carry them all the way to the town.”

Jason shrugged. “I don’t mind. I’m more interested in getting home before afternoon to take care of my little sister. She has been feeling unwell lately and she is demanding for me to be by her side as much as I can. Made a promise.” Jason bit his tongue inwardly. He hated having to lie but it was necessary to make the trade to save him some time.

“Ah,” the merchant replied in understanding and finished the tomato. “Well, life can be tough like that but good on you to find time for your family. They are can be annoying sometimes but they are an irreplaceable bunch.”

“Yeah, they can.” Jason gave a smile from a corner of his lips, while a despondent look briefly shadowed over his blue eyes.

Without his memories, Jason could not remember who his previous family was – or if he had one, to begin with. All he was aware of was his father, Zeus but even so, it was difficult to grasp that he would be the son of a god, much less the king of them. To think that someone like him would be connected to a powerful being of Greek mythology who lived in the skies with dominance and power. It did not feel like it, especially not when his father had not visited him once and Jason, who lacked the ability to travel beyond his duties, was powerless to remedy it.

Not only that, but Happy also made it a point to halt Jason from leaving with his best attempts, for reasons he kept mum about, much to Jason’s annoyance. _Not yet_ , he remembered the eagle speaking in a tone artificially fashioned into one of wisdom. _You’re not ready yet._

Even so, Jason was determined to find his roots one day. It was impossible for him to continue living his life shrouded in mystery when a good portion of it was already shared with him. While his priority was to search for Uriel, Jason planned to discover more of his previous life. He wanted to know – and an innocent request it should be if his dearest friend hadn’t looked mournful over it everytime it was mentioned.

After the trade was done, the merchant left and Jason counted the goods he had earned. Fish, some chicken, and spices. There were also some clothes earned from their negotiation. He could use more tablecloths after his current ones had been worn to an ugly shade of brown. There were more he still had to check but the privilege of doing so was taken from him when he heard a familiar, low rumble from behind him and immediately stopped.

 _Oh crap_. He thought when the wind shifted but in a wilder and rougher manner than before.

In a hurry, Jason picked his belongings up and willed the wind to his body to lift it up from the ground for quicker speed. He immediately made his way in the direction opposite of the approaching threat, occasionally looking behind him in hopes that whatever that came after him this time would not be near enough to enter his line of sight. He can very much defend himself but he rather not do so when he had all these luggage on him and the merchant possibly in the radius of the battle that would’ve ensued. However, when the push became shove, the demon would come to regret its choice in pursuing him.

For now, he opted for an escape towards his shack past the corpse flowers. From his position, he could hear the demon’s shrill voice traveling through the forest, accompanied by an equally eerie cackle and in a hubristic belief that he could strike Jason down.

_You can never escape us forever, child! Run with all of your might. Your corpse will only make a delightful present for our masters._

Jason gritted his teeth, feeling a drop of sweat stroking his cheek as the rush of adrenaline wrestled in his chest. He could only glance behind him for a bare second before he forced the wind to shove his body down to circumvent the strike of wind that was sent towards him in a deadly speed and force. The weaker intensity caused by the far distance would not have killed him – but knocking himself out of his current momentum would have been foolish. If this kept up, he would have to fight to prevent the demon from following him all the way to the shack.

Another gust of wind blew from behind him again and fought its way through the space underneath Jason. _Shit_ , he cursed when the impact knocked his own wind away that was supporting from beneath. Soon, he found himself plummeting towards the ground while mentally and frantically calling for the wind once more. Because of his previous decision to descend to dodge the first strike, Jason was far closer to the ground than he intended.

As a result, Jason failed to call upon the wind in time before his body would hit the ground – or at least that was what he assumed until he felt a small bounce against his chest. The small ‘ _ow_ ’ from underneath instantly alerted him to an unfortunate victim of his fall and immediately made Jason push the top half of his body up by shoving his hands against the grassy patch.

Jason’s gaze met with an equally young-looking face whose previously narrowed green eyes slowly widened a fraction in shock. There were faint shades of grey underneath the stranger’s eyes, which he guessed was most probably due to a lack of sleep. Contrary to the seemingly unhealthy indications under the eyes, the lips were smooth and properly moisturized. Those were not where his main focus was at though but instead, it was how a stranger was right _beneath_ him. This is awkward. But before Jason could open his mouth to apologize frantically for his fall, the stranger opened his first and uttered a name he would least expect anyone in the world of living would.

“Jason?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The eagle accompanying Jason is an original character fashioned as the son of Zeus's own eagle, Aetos Dios. Happy isn't his real name, of course, but the nickname is a gentle callback from Leo naming his dragon 'Festus'.
> 
> I am not sure how far this fic will go and I am only posting this as a casual try. There is a high chance that I will be continuing it, however.


	2. The Unveiling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group learns more about the situation behind Jason's amnesia from a least likely source. However, they find that the path that was laid before the world is uncertain at best. With nothing to act as their lead, they might have to depend on the only clear option before them.
> 
> One of them is having mixed feelings about the turn of events.

“Jason?”  
  
The pronunciation of his name, uttered by the stranger beneath him, tugged Jason back into another brief moment of reverie. The voice sounded too eerily familiar to him, and he was almost certain that he heard of it somewhere before. The only element in the voice that seemed weird to his suspicion was the tone it held. It was pained and distant, foreign to the world he now lives in, and yet it also felt as though it was trying to tug his heart back where it feels like home.

It was very much like the voices in his nightmares that never failed to make a warm entrance.

“Is it really you?” When another voice, sounding as though it was choking up, from above him spoke, Jason was effectively startled out of his thoughts and looked up to find two more people accompanying the moment.

Instantly, he got off the stranger and landed his butt on the grass.

“Who are you? And how do you know my name?” Jason demanded in an icy, cautious manner, willing himself to ignore the grimaces that flashed through all of their eyes. Other than his eagle and closest friend, any other entities who knew his name only seek to bring him nearer to death’s doorstep. He knew, by heart from the scar running diagonally across his back, that demons could disguise themselves as humans to gain his trust and strike him when his back was turned.

Mrs. Damison. Jason wanted to swallow a lump in his throat at the reminder. She was a sweet old lady, in her late fifties and enjoying her trade of fabric. She was one of the few who took sympathy on Jason and regarded him as though he was her friend. They would chat on hours end about the town, about the books Jason were trying to read. Things changed one day, and she seemed far more distant, stranger. Jason only assumed it was because she was struggling with a personal problem. That was until Jason found her rotting corpse shoved into the shack behind her shop when he realized the ‘Mrs. Damison’ at the counter was a sick, sinister terror that fed on his friendship for his head.

That was also when demons started chasing after him at a higher frequency.

“It’s us,” tried the teenager with the curly hair and a set of toolbelt strapped around his hip. He looked the shortest among the four of them, rivaled only with the boy decked in black clothes beside him. Jason immediately compared him to a Christmas elf. And though his heart was drumming in trepidation, the look of hurt reflected in the onyx eyes somehow made Jason wanted to wrap him in a blanket and offer him brownies. “I’m Leo.”

“I’m Nico,” Nico introduced himself and flinched when Jason turned his guarded gaze towards him now. It was like déjà vu. Jason did not exactly trust him when they first met either. “We were sent to look for you.”

If it was possible, the knife in Jason’s tone sharpened further. “To look for me? By who?”

“By our camps.” the stranger who was beneath him had finally gotten back onto his feet and lightly dusted the dirt off his clothes. He might as well not try. The mud was wet for a while. “I’m Percy, by the way. We know each other from way back. I take it as you have amnesia?” His tone sounded tight, as though it was barely keeping itself together. Percy was honestly experiencing a whirlwind of emotions inside his chest and was afraid he might barely keep himself from tumbling and choking over his next words.

“Again,” Jason heard Leo grumble, in which Nico shot him a look for.

“Right…” Jason responded hesitantly, looking between the three of them with uncertainty clearly shown in his eyes. “You’re right. I did lose my memories. Two years ago.”

Percy honestly wanted nothing more than to let out a hollow laugh. _Of course_ , this would happen. For far too many times, Percy underwent the pain of having his loved ones ripped out from his hands. His mother, his friends and now Jason. _Thrice_ for Jason, in fact.

Jason, on the other hand, wasn’t certain as to what to say next. There were many questions he had for the three of them and consolidating them was the most difficult part. Who are they, exactly? What do they know about him that he doesn’t? How well do they know each other? Unfortunately, before he could get a question out, the venti that was chasing after him finally entered within sight and Jason harshly cursed himself for his carelessness.

“That guy is bad news! You three should make a run for it!” Jason warned the three of them.

“Huh? That guy,” Leo muttered and glared up at the venti, pushing his arm up to make a fist at it. “Hey! You were that Dylan guy from years ago, weren’t you? Stupid, self-absorbed coward! I should go over there and clobber you right now!”

Leo hadn’t forgotten his grudge over having being shoved by the wind spirit – among the many _inconveniences_ he experienced after that, including being knocked out and needing to be saved. Didn’t he once help Jason out before? Why was he chasing after his friend again?

(“ _And who are you again?_ ”) The spirit asked lackadaisically, having found Leo being of no threat at all. (“ _Don’t bother telling me. I won’t remember you anyway. A small, ugly fry like you._ ”)

“Hey, back off!” Jason snapped. He wasn’t sure why he was angry for the slight at a stranger he doesn’t remember, but it only felt the right thing to do. “It’s me you wanted, right? Then just take me and leave the others alone!”

Percy whistled and mustered a weak smile. “Kinda hot there, Golden boy-“

“It’s Jason,” he corrected on reflex. Damn Happy.

“-But I can handle it. I’m going to make it regret calling our cute Christmas elf ‘ugly.’” Percy smirked confidently, letting the adrenaline distract him from his emotions and he drew Riptide in preparation for a fight. Bending his knees, Percy then pushed his strength against the ground to leap at the monster.

“Cool and handsome, Percy! The words are ‘cool and handsome’!” Leo cried out in indignation.

(“ _So arrogant! You will be the first to die then, demigod!_ ”) The venti summoned storm spirits by its side. They generated air currents around them and hurled them towards the incoming assailant. Narrowing his eyes, Jason summoned his wind currents from his will and used them to deflect the attack before Percy parried them with his sword. (“ _Fool!_ ”) The venti cackled and had some storm spirits already maneuvered to the side to send more wind slashes towards Jason while Percy’s sword destroyed two storm spirits.

Stones formed in front of the attack to block it before they dispersed into tinier rocks and sharpened themselves to destroy the storm spirits. Upon turning his head, Jason found that Nico was controlling the rocks and realized the possibility of him being a demigod as well as the other two.

“Alright, Dylan. All the hard feelings but we’re gonna take our wins early today,” Leo warned and flung fire bolts at the remaining storm spirits to destroy them all.

(“ _Dammit!_ ”) The venti cursed under its breath when it finally realized the possibility of it losing despite having the element of numbers to its advantage. Apparently, not anymore. It summoned a column of whirlwind around it as a last resort and escaped upwards into the sky as Percy landed on a tree branch to avoid getting caught up in the torrent.

“Tch!” Jason called upon his weapon, _apathetia_ , a holy lance that he threw into the current and had it rip into the forces of Dylan’s wind, but failed to destroy him.

“Uh, dude,” Jason heard Leo called out after the currents died down and the venti having made his successful escape.

When Jason looked up, he realized that Leo was staring at him and the other two soon followed with their gazes. On Jason’s back were a pair of white wings, most likely having unfolded when he summoned his weapon. That also meant that Jason was currently in his angelic form at the moment, and would be invisible to most humans. If it hadn’t been for the battle before, now would be the time when Jason would realize that the three of them were not typical humans.

Although the Greeks and angels hardly interacted, there were some overlapping elements in their history that allowed some leeway. However, the relationship between the two worlds was not as tightly intertwined as the Romans’ and Greeks’. That was why Jason’s attacks couldn’t work effectively against the venti, he realized, as it was a monster that belonged to the Greeks’ world. Similarly, none of the Greeks’ or Romans' offenses would work against the angels or fallen.

“I heard that I was a demigod from a friend of mine. From the Romans’ world,” Jason mentioned as he stood up to his full height, allowing his wings to stretch. “However, after I died, Lord Uriel saved me, and I ascended to the heavens. To repay the debt, I was baptized and joined the ranks of the Order of Angels. It’s a mess in the heavens, but it hasn’t reached peak calamity yet.”

“Angels really _exist_?” Leo asked incredulously.

“Demigods exist too, don’t they?” Jason countered, raising a brow at him.

Nico stuffed his hands into his pockets and began explaining what he knew. “Angels exist. I read about it from a book in my father’s palace. They also perform punishments in their respective domains and the Archangel Uriel is the overseer of Tartarus for that purpose. Angels and the Greeks don’t get involved with each other. Not because of the separation that Greeks and Romans purposely placed onto themselves but the lack of parallelism between the two.”

Although, it wasn’t as though Greeks’ demigods hadn’t interacted with other beings from other mythologies and neither was it impossible for siblings to belong in different worlds either. However,  _conflicts_  and political arrangements were often kept within their own space, and there were very little interference from other worlds. At least, that silent rule was what kept the world that way for a few centuries. One might say the worlds operated  _closely_ like countries.

“So, the capital ‘G’ God exist too?” Percy asked carefully, as though doubting his own words. “Have you guys ever met him? Does he have a long beard or something?”

“We haven’t personally seen him so I can't answer that, but yes, in our world, we follow as the God wishes,” Jason replied.

“But you _are_ a Roman,” Leo insisted, waving a hand wildly in the air. “Since you said that the two worlds don’t have any parallelism, the laws from each world shouldn’t apply to the other, should it? If it were, it would’ve been a thing in our mythology classes!”

“This is what I learned from my classes in the Heavens -- but the separation was more potent before the Age of Enlightenment fell onto the human world. It’s an era that began allowing the co-existence of several mythologies and religions. Because of that, the natural law also shifted to ensure there will be no conflicts between the worlds that would threaten the other’s existence unless it was deliberate,” Jason explained. “I also learned that the powers of the Heavens had waned because of that and while the influences of the churches are still strong, there are now more people who believe in multiple things or even none at all.”

Percy placed his finger on his chin and thought of what Chiron taught him. “I think there was also this fact where the existence of our gods depends on how much the people believed in and remembered them.”

“That’s the same with our world,” Jason added. “The churches had more power before the Age of Enlightenment and held a much larger, dominant role in the humans’ consciousness, and that reflected in the absolute powers that angels used to have.”

Leo folded his arms across his chest and frowned. “So, they grew weaker, and they’re okay with it?”

“The duties of the angels were never to seek for power. Our mission is to follow the teachings and will of our God. Considering that the natural law came immediately into effect and it wasn’t a deliberate act, it was interpreted that this was the will of God and opposing it would be opposing our God. That was what the archangels decided, at least, and the absence of consequences from following it proves further that they were on the right page.” Jason answered and let his hands fall to his side. “However, that’s as far as I know.”

Percy covered his face with his hand and groaned. “This is honestly too much. It’s like taking a whole new course, and I’m barely keeping up with my studies.”

“Be glad that we’re keeping this short then,” Nico replied, rolling his eyes.

“If you guys want, you can have a rest at our shack. We have flowers planted outside that keeps the demons away,” Jason offered.

It wasn’t a deal that the three of them would turn down, especially when they were still interested in learning about Jason’s new life. With some luck, they were also hoping to be able to bring the old Jason back. No matter what, Jason is still Jason. Hope was glistening somewhere, and it took everything they could to keep it plummeting to the ground.

During the walk, Percy didn’t miss the gazes that Nico and Leo gave him between intervals. Out of them, Percy had the most history with Jason and learning that Jason went missing from the Elysium was the beginning of more heartbreaks that sprung up after being able to barely deal with his death.. Nico was their middleman when exchanging their words, and hats off to Nico for that since Jason can be very _sappy_. Not that Nico ever dared to convey the full speech though.

Percy knew he should’ve moved on by now, but there was no persuasive reason for him to. Knowing that Jason entered the Tartarus under Hades’s request and went missing only cemented his indifference to the notion.

 _Typical Jason_ , he thought to himself. Jason could never bring himself to stay out of matters where he was needed, always agreeing to requests made by the gods even when they could cost his own life. That was how Jason went over death thrice over the course of his life. Percy was different. He knew when enough was enough. However, it haunted him that Jason could’ve been alive if he accompanied along with Apollo and Meg when they sought his help.

And he would have if he wasn’t too late in finding out that Jason went along with them.

“Here we are,” Jason announced when they arrived at a newly-made shack. It wasn’t as worn-down as you’d expect when the word ‘shack’ came to mind. It looked as though it was built from scratch, judging by the lack of consistencies between the walls but looked as though it could hold itself up against a storm at least.

“By the way, you mentioned ‘our’. Does that mean you’re living with someone?” Leo prodded, making Percy’s heart sank tragically at the possibility of Jason having a new lover.

Opening the door, Jason headed inside and ushered the three to follow after him. “Yeah. He’s a close friend of mine. We came down together from the Heavens.”

“Hey, you’re back early today. I’m just about to head off to sell-“ the voice stopped when the owner of it came closer till he was within sight.

The silence in the room felt as though it was there for far too long. Percy’s throat felt as though there were too many words clinging onto them, threatening to spill in mumble jumbles but didn’t have the will to crawl through the tunnel. Out of them, only Nico seemed to be the least surprised but was still slightly taken aback nonetheless.

Standing before them was Luke Castellan.

* * *

 

“This is Luke,” Jason introduced, as his gaze flickered between the four of them after sensing the growing tension.

“They know who I am.” Luke stepped further into the shack.

Turning his head to Luke, Jason frowned. “Another one of your ‘can’t tell’ secrets?”

Luke shrugged. There was a reason why he didn’t share about the Greeks’ world. Jason only knew of his father because that was the first thing the eagle shared before Luke could stop it. After that, he privately and solemnly pleaded for Zeus’s animal to keep everything else under its beak. He honestly hated lying where it struggled with his conscience, but he wouldn’t be beneath using his persuasion skills if it was the better option.

Compared to many people, Luke was a terrific liar.

“So you’re his roommate,” Percy stated slowly. Even though Percy gradually came to understand Luke’s reasons for his actions, the bad blood between them didn’t disappear. On the other hand, Nico also told him how Luke and Jason grew closer while they were at the Elysium too and Percy was glad Jaosn wasn’t left completely on his own. However, It didn’t mean Percy was about to take any soft chances when he knew the full extent of what Luke was capable of.

“We came from the heavens together. Thought that’d make you calm down around me more but I guess I went too far with that thought,” Luke mumbled.

Jason honestly didn’t know what went down between them but judging from their tones; he had an inkling that some animosity was present. He first wondered if he was involved in their past, but nothing came to mind. When he first met Luke and Percy, they didn’t give him any unpleasant sensation. Hence, it’d be unfair to label either one of them as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ in their conflict.

Still, Jason thought it’d be wise to pacify the tension, at least. “Luke has been one of my closest friends ever since I woke up in the heavens and helped me out a lot. And Percy and the others saved me from a monster just now.”

Luke’s lips thinned into a line. “You didn’t start fighting back again?”

Shaking his head, Jason replied. “There was still someone else in the area. It’d be bad if I were to start one right there, so I thought to lure the monster towards a more secluded place and then I got caught up in a conversation with them.”

“Which was great, by the way. Nice talk, man,” Leo piped up. Even he was becoming exhausted from the stiff atmosphere.

“He didn’t know anything about us.” Percy folded his arms, glaring down Luke with one of his harshest stares. “Why is that? Considering how much time you spent with him in the Elysium, you’d know about what Jason is to us.”

 _To me_ , he added mentally.

Luke’s shoulders slumped, face reflecting his conflicting thoughts on the matter as the other four occupants turned their gazes towards him. He could even feel Nico directing the same question with his silence – and their thoughts weren’t unwarranted either.

“I’ll explain everything to you—”

“With me in the room,” Jason interrupted firmly. Luke may have been his closest friend, but he wasn’t the sort to tolerate secrets where he was involved – or have Luke step on eggshells around his past. It was difficult to simply let that go. “ _Please_. Let’s not skirt around the issue any longer. I think I deserve to know at least why you are acting odd about this.”

Luke glanced over at the other demigods who seemed to hold the same opinion.

“Trust him,” Nico spoke up firmly. “You should know he is capable of taking on anything that comes before of him. He’s that stubborn type.”

Another glance towards Jason’s resolved look made Luke lowered his shoulders in resignation. He long doubted that this could be kept from Jason forever, especially ever since they came to the world of the living. If this wasn’t the time to tell Jason, the other would only find more reason to distrust Luke and at this crucial moment, Luke was his only ally among the angels.

“Fine, sit down,” Luke ordered and directed the other four onto the couch and sat on a chair himself. “How much did Jason tell you guys?”

“Angels, Ascended, Uriel, fights,” Leo listed off on his hand. “And then there was more.”

“Good enough, I guess.” Luke exhaled a deep breath and tapped a finger against his knee. “While we were in the Elysium, Jason left one day for the Tartarus. A request from Hades.”

“That, we knew,” Percy interrupted.

Luke rolled his eyes in response. Even without their animosity, Percy seemed to have become more of a handful to deal with. Understandably. “Trying to set the story, Jackson. Anyway, from what lord Uriel said, Jason encountered someone who sealed his memories. Probably, Jason heard and saw something that he shouldn’t have.”

Leo tapped his finger on his chin. “Is that connected to the reason why Hades sent him?”

“Most probably. I can’t ascertain anything, and Hades would never tell me anything either if you consider what I’ve done.”

“He wouldn’t tell me much either,” Nico mumbled. Clearly, he had tried, but Hades was adamant in sharing little to nothing with his son. Usually, Hades wasn’t this cryptic whenever Nico asked for information, but since this was a _complicated_ matter, as described by Hades, it wasn’t within just his jurisdiction to share such information. Now that it was clear on what might’ve been involved, Nico was beginning to understand.

The war between Titans and gods were one thing – but something lurking in the Tartarus?

“And about my memories?” Jason questioned in a firmer tone.

“That… Lord Uriel instructed against letting you reclaim your memories.” Luke visibly tightened his hands together at the look of betrayal in Jason’s eyes. He continued nonetheless. “Your memories were sealed, and you were not in a good state when he found you. It’s the Tartarus. The chances of you becoming traumatized are extremely high.”

Percy drew in a sharp breath and Nico’s eyes became noticeably duller. As two people who ventured the Tartarus and came back barely alive, they knew the horrid mark and stains the experience left in their mind. Even while Percy and Jason dated, Jason had to hold Percy while he shuddered and laid awake in his own sweat from the nightmares. Nico didn’t fare any better. Percy wouldn’t deny if Nico suffered worse, as he was alone during his ordeal. However, he didn’t know how Leo helped Nico through the nights.

As though sensing the change in Nico’s mood, Leo lightly bumped his shoulder against his boyfriend’s. He was aware, by experience, how any further physical touches would make Nico jump.

“When that happens, you could become a fallen,” Luke added.

Jason stiffened when those words left Luke’s mouth. His previous feelings regarding the secret were beginning to wane, now that he fully understood why Luke kept it. He was conflicted. For months, Jason was resolved to uncover his past after learning about his father. It was as though a crack was made and it caused a temptation towards prying it open even further.

It wasn’t about becoming a fallen that scared Jason – it was the consequences of it; being unable to serve the Archangel and having to fight against his friends. Jason was determined, whether if he became a fallen or not, that his feelings wouldn’t change and he would still fight for what he started.

“I have a confession to make.” Jason drew in a breath. “I had been having dreams of my past lives ever since Happy came into our lives. My death, familiar voices and some moments where I was intimate with someone.” Percy blinked at the last description.

Luke narrowed his eyes and stood up quickly. “You have? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t know that I have to! I wasn’t even sure if they were real at first but… it slowly began to feel more real. By that time, I already knew how to deal with it on my own.”

“Is it supposed to be normal? You learn one thing about yourself and more just keeps coming?” Leo asked hesitantly, gesturing at Jason with his hand.

Percy shook his head. “Not for me. Even when I lost my memories and had a feeling about Annabeth, it stayed the same for a long time.”

"Weren't yours different? You had your memories taken away but Jason over here had his sealed," Leo pointed out, gesturing over to his amnesiac friend with a hand. "And if a lock breaks even a little then things are going to spill out, aren't they?"

"But why did it start breaking in the first place? Only from what the eagle said? For two years, Jason had no dreams about his past or any of the sort," Luke pressed before averting his gaze to Jason. "Right?"

Jason nodded in affirmation. There was always a sensation at the bare minimum but there weren't any dreams as far as he could remember.

“If it isn’t normal then it must be deliberate,” Nico suggested. The silence stayed for a few more seconds – and then Nico’s eyes slowly widened. “You don’t think… Hera was involved, do you?”

Luke blinked in confusion. “Hera? Zeus’s wife? Why would she?”

“If they knew about happened with Jason, don’t you think she and Zeus would demand to know the full story? Why Hades sent Jason to the Tartarus? And the best way of getting it is through Jason – who was personally sent there?”

“ _She would_ ,” Percy mumbled under his breath.

It wasn’t the first time Hera dismissed caution in favor of getting what she sought. She toyed with the Prophecy of Seven, switching Jason and Percy so that the Greeks’ and Romans’ world would intertwine once more. There was no indication that she had done so out of careful considerations. It was simply Hera getting what she wanted and what she personally believed would be the best course of action. Percy would also believe that Zeus also shared this arrogance.

If something seemed amiss, Zeus’s paranoia would assume it as an all-out threat too. Adding to that, it was Hades. Feuds don't simply disappear on a snap of a finger. Out of anyone, Zeus would be increasingly more paranoid if Hades was the one who seemed to be withholding information.

“Where is the eagle then? Let’s ask it,” Leo suggested.

“Happy isn’t around. He left before you guys came back,” Luke replied stiffly. This wasn’t looking good. Without Happy, they weren’t able to confirm anything and if Nico’s assumptions were true, Happy’s presence in the shack would become more dangerous.

The group fell to their thoughts again. Without a lead, they couldn’t outright declare their assumptions to be true and march to Olympus for Hera’s attention either. It would be a foolish mission. Right now, they were only running on assumptions and becoming too involved in those would make them no matter than Hera or Zeus.

“I’ve decided,” Jason finally spoke up. “I will continue trying to get my memories back.”

“What?” All four of them exclaimed in unison.

Jason looked at them firmly with a newfound strength shone in his eyes. “They’re slowly coming back anyway – and there’s a chance that something I know will help the situation. This is the only thing that can give us a form of certainty, whether my memories are worth that much or not. It’ll also be less likely for me to become a fallen if I am prepared beforehand too.”

“You’re overestimating yourself again, Jace. If your memories come at full force, it wouldn’t matter much even if you had predicted for it,” Luke warned sternly.

“So far, it has only been coming to me bit by bit,” Jason reassured before his voice grew softer. “I’m sorry for making you worry, Luke, and I’m really grateful for everything you have done for me. I know to keep this from me… hasn’t been easy now that I know your reason.”

A few seconds later, Luke only huffed and turned away. No matter what happened to Jason, he remained the same as before. Although there were noticeable changes, he still remained the same stubborn and soft-spoken man he was.

“Besides, I want to find out who is that person in my dreams. The one who I felt happy with,” he continued and averted his gaze to the ground. “I don't know if he even existed in the first place. But if he was and we were really that happy together, I don’t think my death had been a good thing for him. I guess I wanted to try and find him if I can.”

Percy turned his head, hiding his face from view. Those words made his heart clench, and whether it was a pleasant or unpleasant one, he couldn’t tell. He knew that he wanted Jason back, more than anything but he couldn’t delude himself into thinking that it would absolutely happen. Even if Jason and Percy wanted it, the world might find a way to tear them apart again. However, he was already prepared for that even before he embarked on this quest to find him.

After listening to Luke’s explanation regarding the consequences of Jason recovering his memories, Percy was placed between a rock and a hard place again. Jason fought bravely for the world; he sacrificed himself protecting. He deserved peace more than anything. He deserved better than _this_.

Jason was the type to remain kind even if life dealt him an unfair hand. It was unbelievable, honestly, but from the first day, Percy was able to sense that in Jason. His kindness was so genuine it almost tore Percy apart when he slowly came to realize how the gods were. Percy was no longer a child anymore; he could no longer naively believe in the things he used to. His childhood was forever lost to the experiences he accumulated. He was certain Jason was no different, but that never stopped Jason from taking any requests the gods asked of him.

No matter how unfair they were.

However, that might be one of the things Percy loves about Jason.

“Then I’ll respect your decision,” Luke finally said, placing a hand on Jason’s shoulder.

Smiling at Jason, he gently patted his hand on his friend’s. “Thanks.”

Jason was aware that this would not be an easy task and that the stakes were high. However, this felt like the right thing to do. If there were any chances that his actions would put his surroundings a better place, he would take it. Even if there was a chance where it would be in vain, Jason was confident that his desire to protect would still remain and that he wouldn’t change.

The feeling was indescribable, but it certainly felt that way.

Jason only hoped that this decision would prove him to be right.

 

 


	3. Sweet Memories

Percy stood up with the others when Leo called for a break. He had to agree with the Santa elf. All the information overload was beginning to plant a sharp pain at the side of his head. He didn’t know how Leo managed it but he sat still for the entire conversation since he’s easily the most restless out of all of them. Although that being said, he could’ve sworn he saw Nico’s fingers playing with Leo’s from the corner of his eyes. To keep Leo still, perhaps? Percy chuckled at the realization.

“I’m going to make dinner for us,” Jason announced, after returning to his human form. “It’s a good thing Luke has a habit of saving food up so we have more than enough.”

“Someone has to mind the goods after you blew up all of your savings.”

“For the last time, the old man had a back injury and needed the money to pay his bills. Besides, the painting he gave in return didn’t look half bad.” Everyone looked over to the painting that Jason was gesturing towards – and saw that it was one of _Garfield_ the cat.

“Well, the cat came out in the 1970s so it might as well be an antique,” Leo muttered.

Luke raised his brow at Jason challengingly. “How did he manage to carry that heavy painting then?”

Jason paused at once, quickly combing his brain for anything that could counter the accusation. Furrowing his brows, he pursed his lips together tightly. There was a chance that he was duped, but there was a hesitancy against looking at _that_ side of the situation, especially when there was no hard evidence against it. Maybe it was also the fact that he felt it was his duty as an angel to come to humans when they’re in need, regardless of reasons.

Luke smirked at the silence and folded his arms in triumphant. “So I was right again.”

“What’s the score between you two so far?” Leo asked, grinning.

“Me – 7. Luke – a _negative_ person,” Jason grumbled and went ahead into the kitchen.

Percy found himself grinning, finding Jason’s other side to be adorable. Jason rarely sulked in front of everyone, but when he did in front of Percy, it was such a delightful sight. He wished he could have more casual talks with Jason, but feared that if started, he might accidentally reveal his relationship to him. At least, he would start once he had gotten his thoughts and feelings sorted out.

“I’m going outside to take a breather.” Percy glanced over at them. “You guys gonna be alright?”

Nico nodded, understanding what Percy was going through. “We’ll be alright. We don’t need more than two people to keep Leo from eating the ingredients.”

Cracking his knuckles, Leo grinned at Nico challengingly. “Bold of you to assume that I’m going to let myself get caught.” With that, Leo dashed into the kitchen with Nico yelling angrily behind him and Luke following in exasperation.

Percy chuckled and shook his head at their antics. Usually, he would be right in front of Leo, but he didn’t some time alone right now. Not wanting to waste any more time, he turned around and headed out of the shack, ensuring to stick near the flowers to avoid being pulled into unwanted conflicts with any lingering monsters.

Or maybe not, those flowers are _pungent_.

Scrunching his nose, Percy covered it with his sleeve and kept himself inside the barrier that Jason and Luke previously erected to keep the air inside fresh. One of an angels’ blessings, or so they had explained. They could’ve stopped air pollution with an army of those.

Finally, Percy lowered his arm when he was in a safer zone and closed his eyes. Breathing out a sigh of relief, he looked at the darkening sky and began to let his mind wander.

“Jace…” he mumbled and closed his eyes, letting the breeze comb through his hair.

It had been close to three years since Jason’s passing, and two since Jason disappeared from the Elysium. Losing Jason was one of the most painful moments he endured in his life. Even when they were lovers for a short time, they were one of each other’s best friends for a longer amount of time. Sometimes he wondered if beginning a relationship with Jason was a mistake if it was going to cost him this much of heartbreak and grief. However, Percy also knew that he wasn’t that kind of person. Even if he knew that Jason or himself was dying, he still would’ve loved and been with Jason without any regrets. It was a painful but most fulfilling moment.

He remembered the first time he approached Jason about it, already hopelessly in love like a fool. And Jason, on the other hand, mentioned that he was the same.

* * *

 

“Hey,” Percy greeted Jason while the latter was packing his bags, prompting him to turn around and halt the packing. “I heard from Chiron that you'd be attending school soon.”

Mustering a smile, Jason gave Percy a nod in response. “Yeah, he feels that we shouldn’t delay our studies any further. As much as I want to continue looking for Leo, knowing that he’s out there, safe and sound, is enough for now. I’ll continue searching during the next break if he’s not back by then.”

“I’ll go with you,” Percy offered without a single thought, making Jason blink in surprise before he settled into another gentler smile.

“Thanks. I’d appreciate your company.”

“Hey, that’s what bros are for.” God, it hurts to say that.

It has been a long while since Percy stopped thinking of Jason as _just_ a bro and he blamed the moments they shared before. The nights when they chatted just about anything at the deck of Argo II, the playful banter and competition, and days when Jason laughed at his horrible jokes. Gradually, Jason’s calming presence became a constant relaxation that could calm him down whenever Percy got fired up.

There were more than that, Percy knew, and he felt it in the way his heartbeat raced around Jason and thoughts becoming occupied with him during sleepless nights. He still struggled with insomnia, but it wasn’t a fact he wanted anyone to know.

Instead of addressing all of that, Percy went over to bump their arms together and threw a loose embrace over Jason. He could understand how much Jason suffered when Leo was still thought to be dead. After receiving the telegraphic message from Leo, Percy silently hoped that he was here in person instead. Jason and Piper were beyond devastated but had each other to lean on. Of course, they jumped at the opportunity to begin their search for their friend after finding out about Leo’s revival and were gone for months.

Now that school season was beginning, some of the campers were temporarily leaving Camp Half-Blood for the new term, including Percy.

“I hear that Piper and Annabeth are entering the same school together,” Jason finally said after a while.

Folding his arms across his chest, Percy glanced at the ceiling in thought. “Yeah. They’ve been planning it for a long time now.”

The two of them bonded far more than anyone could imagine, but their differences also made them perfect for each other. They began dating before the war exploded and perhaps even before that, seeing how they hadn’t informed anyone of the news immediately right after they agreed to date. Of course, they settled their respective previous relationships with Percy and Jason before that happened, but it wasn’t enough of a clue that hinted them tending towards each other.

The four of them knew their relationship wasn’t progressing the way they wanted. Most relationships began with a burning passion with an insatiable urge to be around each other. It was difficult to tell where it was headed until the so-called ‘cooling-period’ settled in. Percy wasn’t frustrated with his relationship with Annabeth not working out as much as him not having found someone by the time Annabeth and Piper came out.

They were not kidding when they said the sensation was aggravating.

“You know that I would’ve totally joined you in your school if we planned for it, right?” Percy hinted playfully, sprouting his trademark grin.

Jason blinked at the sudden share of thoughts and tilted his head like a puppy who was trying to figure out why the insides of a fan were moving. However, he smiled. “Sure. It could be fun for the both of us. I’m one year behind you though so we wouldn’t have the same class together.”

“But I could bump into you in the hallway during break, and we could have lunch together. Then, maybe I’d complain to you all day about how much my teacher sucked,” he continued to joke.

Jason chuckled in amusement and raised a brow. “You haven’t met your teachers yet. You couldn’t know if they were bad.”

“Oh, _everyone_ has at least one sucky teacher. Usually, for me, I have only _one_ who does not suck.”

“Unless they got a good mouth for it.”

Percy stopped and gaped at Jason. Did he just--? “Jason Grace. Did you just make a joke? And a dirty one too?” he accused loudly, pointing his finger at his friend.

Even Jason looked ashamed for it. “Yeah, no. I just—I was just reading on things—”

“I’m telling Thalia the next time I see her!”

“Please don’t!” Jason exclaimed in desperation. He just met his sister, and it was just that one time. He didn’t want to risk ruining her first good impression of him. Besides, Jason really was not the kind to make dirty innuendos. “It’s not my thing, honest! I just came across it on a section on Piper’s magazine!”

“What was the name of the magazine? _Dirty, dirty, baby_?” Percy mocked sarcastically.

Jason groaned and covered his flustered face with a hand. Percy had to admit that it was fun teasing Jason and it was cute how his friend was so defensive about his image. “It was about relaxing. She bought and shared it with me when we were looking for Leo. And that section was about _laughing_.”

“You sure about that? Sounds more like a recipe for getting _laughed at_.”

“Hey, it worked for you,” Jason grumbled.

Percy couldn’t resist a grin at the sight of Jason sulking. A small chit-chat wasn’t what he was here for, however. What he came here to Zeus’s cabin for was to discuss his feelings with Jason before he left. If he let go of this chance now, he might have to wait for months before he could speak to Jason about it face to face again. He was anxious and uncertain a few months ago, worrying if it would end up tearing apart his friendship with his crush. It was _annoying_.

After talking to Annabeth about it several times, he finally mustered the firm resolve to let it out. Wise girl was right – it wasn’t like him to be _this_ cautious. If Percy had a named talent, it was to turn the tides on whatever that came slamming in his way and he was always ready to perform that. That was what made him one of the most fearless and dangerous beings around.

He waited long enough for Jason to return and he wasn’t about to let this chance go.

“Anyway, I came here to talk to you about something,” Percy started and began feeling an itch up his neck when he set the conversation. At Jason’s nod, he continued. “You know how Wise girl and Piper got together? I was wondering if you – uh, thought about having something like that again?”

Jason pressed his lips together in thought, and Percy could tell he was cautiously choosing his answer. “Yeah, from time to time. I guess. But well, with everything that was happening, I didn’t have time to think about it much. I’m – not that good at the romance part? Friends too, honestly – but you guys really made a difference in my world. That’s why…”

“That’s why?” Percy pressed, leaning in as a sign of encouragement for Jason to continue.

“I hate the thought of having any one of you leave it,” Jason admitted, fumbling with his hair at the back of his neck. “But yes, I have thoughts about being someone’s special person. I’m just not sure if I’d be good for it. Leading a quest I can do but…”

When it came to other social aspects, Jason was poor at those. However, Percy didn’t think of it that way. “That’s crazy. You’re saying that you think you won’t be good enough as a lover?”

“Look, I think I have a problem. A big problem.” There was a constant rattling in Jason’s chest, and his gaze turned to the floor as though he was trying to hide to it. “I try not to hurt people. Because of that, I tend to… not say _certain things_ that I should. I do it when it compromises with work or the safety of my comrades but when it comes to saying stuff for other reasons? It’s… hard.”

Percy’s arms folded across his chest as he attempted to narrow down what Jason was specifically referring to. “What do you have in mind?”

“For example, if someone has a crush on me? And I know about it? I… have trouble speaking to them about it when I know I don’t feel the same way. I know that I _should,_ but I want to do it in a way that I know it wouldn’t hurt them. Over the time while I struggled with on how to confront it, it had already been so long that I started to become unsure if it should even be brought up anymore.” Jason sighed deeply and massaged his forehead. “In the end, I realized I could hurt them even with my silence.”

“It does sound like you to overthink things,” Percy supplied, choosing to dismiss his thundering heartbeat. It was _rare_ as it was for Jason to speak about his own feelings to anyone.

Jason gave Percy a weak smile. “People in Camp Jupiter think that I’m good with being social because I can lead. Truth is, I struggle with it like many other people too.”

“You’re good with people though. You check up on everyone, you listen to other people’s opinions, and you don’t get angry easily.”

“That’s because as a leader, I’m used to looking after people and I honestly want everyone around me to feel safe and secure,” Jason explained softly. “That’s not to say that I didn’t have friends before you guys. Reyna, Dakota and Bobby are my closest friends. But even so…”

“You feel like you couldn’t share everything with them?” Percy guessed.

Jason nodded and lightly grazed his bottom lip with his teeth. Percy could feel Jason’s walls climbing back up, a sensation he felt from time to time whenever he and Jason had their in-depth discussions. Annabeth said that Jason was a hard to read guy, but Percy slightly disagreed. He always felt, from the first moment, that he and Jason were the same on some levels. However, Wise girl was right on the money if what she was hinting at was that Jason had walls impenetrable even to an analytical person like her and Hazel. Percy didn’t care as much – he let actions speak for a person’s worth.

Feeling that it was time to pack away that subject, Percy decided to return to the main agenda at hand. “That example you said when you knew someone had a crush on you and didn’t know how to reject them… was it real and if so, was it me?” he asked awkwardly, gesturing between Jason and himself with a hand.

“Huh? No, it isn’t y—what did you mean—wait, you?”

Percy chuckled at Jason’s fumbling words. He could be very observant, noticing small details when most of them couldn’t. This was not one of Jason’s lucky days. “Yeah, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. If uh – you’d like to start things with me? Guess it’s kind of out of the blue, huh?”

Jason’s cheeks began tinting with red and he shook his head furiously. “No, I mean yes! It did take me by surprise but what I meant was—uh, it’s not a bad thing when it’s you?”

“Not a bad thing,” Percy repeated playfully. “Jason Grace, I’m not a bowl of salad that you can just try and say ‘hey, this is actually not bad’ ‘cause no one I know feels that way. Ever. It’s either you love it or you hate it.”

“I don’t hate it. I do love it!” Jason exclaimed in his panic and even Percy was taken aback by the declaration. And there Jason was, a few minutes ago, talking about how he struggled with speaking up. “It’s just that I really didn’t expect it. Remember when I said I had thoughts about being someone’s special person? I—It was you too, but I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to risk upsetting you or stressing you out.”

“Not that I didn’t worry about that before but seriously? You always seemed so natural around me,” Percy mumbled.

“I’ve been told that I’m good at keeping a straight face,” he explained, wincing at how that had turned out. People either misunderstood or distrust him. “Honestly? I was busy trying to push those thoughts away when I’m with you. There was a huge crisis going on so – that did distract me too. But I wasn’t lying when I said that you were my only choice--”

“You didn’t say that actually. My name? It came up. But not the ‘ _only_ ’ part,” Percy interrupted, beginning to feel the heat rise in his cheeks now.

“I didn’t? Oh crap. My thoughts and mouth are all messed up.” Groaning, Jason buried his face into his hands in an attempt to calm himself down. His perfect manner of speech always stemmed from his calm composure. When this conversation started, he was thrown into a round of nervousness and things just began spilling.

However, Percy laughed instead, which helped pushing some of the jitters out of his own nerves for a moment. “Man, I didn’t think I would live to hear the day you would say ‘ _oh crap_ ’.”

“ _Oh_ , don’t make a big deal out of it. I probably said it a few times before,” Jason grumbled, feeling indignant at the laughing. “But I’m serious.”

“I know. I was too.” Percy grinned weakly, daring himself to step forward to let his hand travel up Jason’s arm. This shouldn’t be a big deal for him, right? He had a romantic relationship before. He assumed the mastery came along with the experience. “Should we then? Make us official? Tie up our knots or what you people at Camp Jupiter say – _become me mate_?”

“… Literally, no one at my camp has ever said that before. We aren’t pirates,” Jason said dryly.

“Really? I thought that was Middle English.”

“If you read pirate comics in Middle English classes, maybe.”

Percy snapped his fingers as though he remembered something. “So _that_ was the classroom where I left my pirate comics behind.”

“Didn’t you say you never slacked in your schoolwork?”

“It wasn’t a compulsory unit. I just took it to fill in the extra spot, and Mr.Hubbers was the worst teacher next to Mrs. Dodds. I didn’t pay attention out of spite.” Shrugging his shoulders, Percy slides his hands in the gaps between Jason’s waist and arms, circling loosely around Jason afterward. “So, what’s your answer, Superman?”

“But what about my-?”

“Your weakness? Hey, I wasn’t a perfect guy in my first relationship too and I don’t think anyone else can be. We’ll figure things out together. One step at a time,” Percy reassured softly.

Jason thought for a moment and placed a hand on Percy’s left bicep. There’s always something about Percy, that strong-willed personality of his, that made quite an inspiration. It’s one of the many things Jason loves about him. “Then it’s a yes.”

“Alright!” Percy grinned widely and pulled him towards the direction of the door. “Now let’s go to my cabin before your dad realize that our new relationship is going to piss him off.”

When they went to Poseidon’s cabin, they spent their time together for the entire weekend. Jason originally planned to leave on that Friday night but he risked having to rush his school preparations on a day – just for Percy.

It was the first time they felt their chest brimming with a pleasant sensation, like how stomachs could be filled with delectable food. The cold nights felt much warmer when they cuddled and by the time it was Sunday, three days suddenly felt ridiculously and _painfully_ short.

* * *

 

“Only two months to suffer after the term is over, huh?” Percy grumbled into Jason’s shoulder. He was feeling impatient already and had been for the first months since their parting. Right now, they are having their mid-semester break, which meant he has a week with Jason who flew over from his residence just to see Percy.

He could hear laughter from his boyfriend from his position and could’ve sworn his heart just soared into the clouds and probably high enough for Zeus to zap it into oblivion. _Not at any time, Zeus,_ Percy thought smugly. _Not even for your Christmas present._

“Only two more months to go and then we’ll have a few months of free time to ourselves.”

Percy couldn’t help but grin at the thought and lifted his head up. Leaning his back against his bedside, he propped his free arm onto a mattress on the other side where Jason wasn’t occupying. “After that, we’re gonna attend the same university together – or at least in ones that are nearby each other so it wouldn’t take a plane for us to see each other.”

Jason pulled out a pamphlet from his bag and handed it to Percy. “I actually looked it up for us before and I think we can try for Paladestine University in New Rome.”

Percy gaped at that. And here he thought that he was the fast one in this relationship of theirs. “You work quick! And you sure put some thoughts into it too.”

“I did it since you mentioned about us studying together,” Jason admitted sheepishly.

“Now I’m going to have to study even harder then. Wouldn’t want you to be a year ahead of me.” Percy grinned and gave Jason a playful peck on the lips in which Jason gave a shy grin for.

Cocking his head to the side afterward, Jason blinked when a thought struck. “It wouldn’t really matter, would it? As long as we pick the same electives, we could have one or two classes together.”

“Yeah but I’m older than you by a year, and that’s not gonna look good for me,” Percy pointed out. Honestly, he didn’t care about pride as much as he tended to have fun being playfully competitive once in a while. Jason, on the other hand, seemed to have lessened his own after they got together. It felt like Jason tended to become focused on a certain thing when he set his mind into it. It was probably a Roman thing. “Have you picked what course you’re gonna do?”

Jason nodded. “I’ve decided on interior designing. I find a lot of fun designing the shrines, for one.”

“How have you been doing with that? Did you bring your sketchbook with you?” Percy asked excitedly. He didn’t even know Jason could draw until he proposed to design the shrines of minor gods. Then again, what they were doing didn’t leave Jason leisure time to sketch as he pleased.

“Wait a second. I packed it in my bag.” Jason leaned over and took his sling bag from the side and fished out his brown sketchbook, and handed it over to Percy.

Taking the sketchbook from Jason, he then flipped over the pages and marveled over the work. Jason certainly paid attention to each gods’ nature and conveyed it in the shrines. They weren’t at all gaudy or over elaborate. Even the colors Jason picked matched the image of the respective gods. It was supposed to bring people closer to those gods as they came to pray and in a sense, could bring a homely feeling for the respective demigod children.

“They’re all amazing, Jace,” Percy praised, proud of his boyfriend. He set the sketchbook down after he finished looking through all the current designs.

“You think so?” Jason asked shyly as a delighted grin gradually appeared on his lips.

“Of course. I can feel that you put lots of work into those shrines.” Their fingers slowly intertwined with one each other at Percy’s initiation as their gazes continue to stay on the other’s face. “It’s definitely gonna make them happy.”

Jason’s smile softened at those words, as his chest became lighter at the notion. With everything they were forced to endure, the minor gods deserved nothing less than the best shrines. Jason intended to give them that without cutting back on any effort.

“You’re amazing, Perce,” Jason couldn’t help but utter.

“For what? Telling the truth? Yeah, I’m the guy for that.” Percy smirked.

Jason laughed softly and shook his head, tightening their hand holding for a moment. “For everything you’ve done for the minor gods and other demigods too. All of this wouldn’t have been possible if you hadn’t negotiated with Zeus.”

“You think I’d win one for us when we tell Zeus about us?” he teased, letting go of Jason’s hand and threw a leg over to Jason’s other side so that he could hover over him.

“Nah. I’ll tell him,” Jason reassured and circled his arms around Percy’s sides, resting his own intertwined hands on his back. “I wouldn’t put you through that.”

Leaning forward, Percy brushed their noses together and breathed softly. “We’ll both go.”

Entranced by their mingling breath, Jason glanced down at Percy’s shirt. “Yeah, that sounds like a good plan too,” he murmured.

Satisfied with the response, Percy let out a small exhale before tilting his head and fitting their lips together lightly. It wasn’t the first time they’ve kissed with such gentleness, and they found it to be one of their best shared kisses. They made the softest sounds of lips smacking and Jason’s fingers soon found their way into Percy’s dark hair. In response, Percy placed his hands on his lover’s cheek, holding him in place as he savored the moment together.

Outside, the rain began to fall.

* * *

 

The last time Percy saw Jason was when he was seeing him off at the airport. Their mid-semester break was ending and having to deal with each other’s absence was heart-wrenching. They wished they could spend more time together and it was just as difficult to let go of their hands once they’ve arrived at the departure gate.

“The term will be over quickly, I promise,” Jason reassured gently, although he was also trying to keep himself together. “Just for another two months.”

“Yeah. I can’t wait.” Percy resisted the urge to release another breath for the millionth time. This honestly sucked but he was trying to keep himself together for Jason too. He could become clingy in a relationship, he realized – but who could blame him? Months of waiting made it inevitable.

“How about we go away on vacation? We could visit Manele Bay at Hawaii and stay there for a couple of days,” Jason suggested.

There was skepticism in Percy’s expression as he slightly leaned away. “I hope you realize that it can cost more than this flight you’re taking, Jace. Are you running a Santa Claus’s kingdom somewhere?”

Jason chuckled and shook his head. “No, but I entered as many competitions as I can during events around the area before and won some prize money.”

“You didn’t plan for this, did you?” Percy couldn’t help but tease.

To his surprise, Jason blushed and glanced away. “Maybe, I did--? We worked really hard with the war and I thought it’d be a good chance for us to relax together.”

Percy thought for a moment before resting his hands on Jason’s shoulders. “Tell you what. Save the money up and we’ll head over to my family’s beach house. I’ll ask my mom about it but I’m sure she’ll be cool with it,” he reassured.

“Are you sure? It won’t be an inconvenience?” Jason asked, nibbling his lip in worry.

“Of course not. You stayed at our place for the week and she totally loves you! I swear, she thinks that you’re a really good kid. Like those honor students type. Besides, we talked about showing you our beach house too. You won’t regret it.”

A small smile gradually replaced the worried frown on Jason’s face. “Alright then. I’ll be in your care for our date and I’m looking forward to it,” he said and leaned down to give a small peck on Percy’s lips.

Normally, it took a longer time for Jason to take the initiative but Percy wasn’t complaining either. He was glad that Jason was beginning to loosen up around him. It made Percy want him to stay even more, to simply hold Jason in his arms as they laid on his bed. For Percy, it was as though all the puzzle pieces had fit comfortably, as though the other side of his heart was filled. Even before they began dating, Percy already knew that he wanted Jason – not only as one of his best friends but also his lover who he can share everything with.

 “I can’t wait to see you again,” Percy whispered into Jason’s lips before they had to part. His chest clenched tightly in pain, making Percy’s brows furrow uneasily as he watched Jason’s retreating back.

This mysterious feeling only made him want to grab onto Jason even more and never let go, afraid that he would lose Jason to yet another war. He couldn’t believe how much just having Jason existing could make him this protective. He didn’t know what brought about this feeling of dread, but he assumed it to be trivial or merely based on his desire to be close to him. It was just a feeling with nothing to speak for it. After all, there were only two months left before they would see each other again.

However, two weeks later, Apollo came knocking on his door.

* * *

 

“Hey Percy,” Nico called out from behind him, effectively snapping him from his thoughts.

“Huh? What’s up? Are you guys done inside already?”

Nico nodded, using his hand to gesture towards the house. “It has been two hours and they prepared everything on the table.” Nico then took a long look at Percy. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, yeah! I was just—” Percy dodged his head and raked his fingers through his hair to shake away the feelings that were brought up with his thoughts. “I was just settling my thoughts down. I’m alright now. Thanks for everything.”

Nico shrugged, deeming it as no big deal. Percy is one of his closest friends, after all, and he saw firsthand how devastated Percy was when they lost Jason. Back in the Elysium, Jason was not faring any better either. That was why he offered to become their middleman whenever he could visit his friend. He hated seeing any of his friends having to suffer.

“For what’s worth, you didn’t make me recite all the sappy things Jason said.”

“I wouldn’t be able to survive that either,” Percy admitted jokingly but in truth, he loved it. Jason always expressed his positive feelings in such an honest way that it was admirable. However, Percy wouldn’t dare put _Nico_ through that. Exhaling a deep breath, Percy pointed his thumb towards the shack and smiled. “Let’s go before they start without us.”

Nico scoffed and walked alongside Percy back into the shack. “I’d think they wouldn’t be that rude.”

Inside, they were all waiting for the other two to join them and another look at Jason made Percy’s heart skip a beat again. Those memories were threatening to break apart the composure he was trying to keep – and Percy wasn’t as good at holding onto it as much as Jason was. Nevertheless, he returned the favour when Jason offered his soft smile that reminded him of how gentle Jason would often smile at him.

It hurts, knowing that there existed a possibility that their relationship could never be salvaged, but seeing Jason again also made Percy hopeful for a future that everything would work out. After all, he would turn the tide on anything that came in his way.

Until then, he would continue to watch over Jason and ensure that no harm came to him again.


End file.
